Typewriting machine



Apr. 10, 1923.

C. U. CARPENTER TYPEWRITING MACHINE Filed, May 5,

1922 .3 sheets-sheet l f/vmewron Apr. 10, 123. 1,451,203

I c. u. CARPENTER v TYPEWRITING MACHI TNE Filed May 3, 1922 5sheets-sheer,- 2

Apr. 10, 1923.

C. U. CARPENTER TYPEWRITING MACHINE 5 sheets-sheet 5 P1 led May 5Patented Apn. 10, 1923.

CHARLES U. CARPENTER, OF DAYTON,-OHIO.

TYPEWRITING MACHINE.

Application filed May 3, 1922. Serial No. 558,052.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, CHARLES U. CAnPnN- TEE, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Dayton, in the county of Montgomery and ing ineansand the type-bars, and has for itsobject the provision of novelarrangements of type-bars and operating means for the same, wherebysimplicity and ease of operation is obtained, and compactness isassured, for providing a typewriter of low structure and short depthfrom front torear, and wherein extreme visibility of the writing isobtained.

It is the object of my invention, further, to in novel manner providetype-levers having low 'p'ivots and key-levers for operating the samehaving pivotsin advance of the pivots of the type-levers; further, toprovide key-levers located wholly in advance of the pivots for thetype-levers; further, to arrange the pivots of the collectivetype-levers on an arc,arranged with an upward and rearward inclination,and, further, with such arrangement, to provide resting means for thetype-ends of the type-levers arranged on substantially an arc of lesscurvature 'in a substantially horizontal plane, whereby a low structureand a compact arrangement are obtained. D

It is the object of my invention, further, to arrange the key-leversinto a plurality of series each of which comprises a number ofkey-levers, and to provide coincident pivotal axes for the key-levers ofeach series; and, further, to vary the lengths of the workarms of thekey-levers to equalize the strokes of their power or key ends.

It is the object of my invention, further, to provide novel pivotingarrangement for the type-levers whereby the types print upon an uppersector of the platen; further, to provide a type-lever and a key-leverand link for operating the same, the pivot of the typelever being lowerthan the pivot of the keylever in novel manner; further, to provide acurved type-bar, and a key-lever for operating the same the pivotingmeans for which latter extends within the concavity of the curvature;further, to provide novel pivoted type-bars, and key-levers .foroperating the same having pivoting means adjacent to the type-ends 'ofthe type-bars when in re-' tracted positions.

It is the object-of my invention, further, to arrange the key-leverswith their keys in a plurality of banks, exemplified as four banks, andpivoting means for the key-levers located between the key-ends of thekeylevers and the type-levers; further, to provide spaced-apart pivotingmeans for keylevers ofdifi'erentbanlcs, andltype-barsawhose typeeendsare normally located between the pivoting means of the respective banks;and, further, to provide novel means whereby the type-end of thetype-bar has a long sweep of movement imparted thereto by novel means,whereby accelerating motion is imparted to the type-end of the type-barfor latter: K

Fig. l is a plan view of so much of a typewriting machine as isnecessary to illustrate my invention.

Fig. 2 is a central vertical cross-section of,

the same, the section being taken on a line corresponding to the line2-2 of Fig. 1, and parts of the operating mechanism being broken away,the key-lever of the lower bank of keys and the type-bar with which thesame connects being shown in retracted position in full lines and inoperated position in dotted lines.

Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the keylever of the second bank of keysand the type-bar with which it connects in retracted position in fulllines and in operated posicausing the striking of the type with a sharplength and fi i to.

Fig. 7 is a vertical cross-section of the same, taken on the line 77 ofFig. 1; and

Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional detail of the pivoting means for thetype-levers, taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 7.

The frame of the machine is indicated at 11, and may be of suitableconstruction to support the operating parts, whichpit will be noted, areall located in compact'arrangement so as to provide a low machine whichwill occupy little space, the parts being also arranged as to beextremely compact from front to rear so that the dimensions of themachine shall be small in all directions for providing extremecompactness and portability of the ,machine.

Type-bars 12 are provided, shown as levers, several of which are shown.These type-bars operate in slots 13 of a support 14 in the frame, andswing on pivots, re-

ceived through the pivot-ends of the type bars, and located in wings 16,formed by said slots. The pivot-ends of said type-bars are shown formedas discs 17, guided by the walls of said slot-s, for insuring accurao inthe movements of the type-bars.-

The support 14 is shown as an arc-piece at the bottom of the frame andprovides meansfor pivoting the type-levers at the bottom of the machine.It is exemplified secured by means of screws 18 to anupwardly andrearwardly slanting plate 19 which is in turn secured to the sides ofthe main frame. The wings 16 extend at an acute angle from thehorizontal plane of the bottom of the frame for ease and range .ofmovement ofthe type-levers. The arcpiece has a rearward and upwardinclination for so relatively placing the middle typelevers and the endtype-levers that directness of stroke is obtained. The type-levers areshown pivoted on a pivot-rod 21, of bow-form, located in a i'ecess 22 inthe arcpiece. The ends of the pivot-rod are threaded and nuts 23received thereover for drawing the pivot-rod in the direction of itsrmly seating the pivot-rod in its arc-recess.

The constructions and arrangements of the parts permit the arc-supportto be placed in the lowermost part of the machine without working partstherebelow. The working parts which extend from front to rear may belocated at the sides of the arc-support, exemplified by the location ofthe links for shifting the carriage hereinafter referred It will benoted that the key-levers are located wholly in front of the arc-piece,providing a machine which is short and compact from front to rear.

Each of the type-bars has suitable types 25, 26, thereon, shown locatedon a head 27, suitably fixed to the swinging end of the type-bar. Thetype-ends of the type-bars normally rest in retracted positions on amenace pad 28, located on a shelf, 29, suitably secured in the frame.

The shelf 29 is shown arranged on a substantial arc of less curvaturethan the curvature of the arc-piece 14. The shelf is also preferablylocated in a. substantially horizontal plane. This permits all of thetypeends of the type-levers to lie low in retracted positions, andresults in a low structure of typewriting machine. The shank 35 of thetype-bar is shown curved upwardly when in retracted position, forproviding a space in the concavity of the curvature in which pivotingmeans for key-levers may be located. The curved form of the type-barsenables additional compactness of arrangement to be obtained, and aidsin presenting the type for easy access by the operator when in retractedposition, as for cleaning and inspection, and for the striking the typeupon the paper, which is received about the platencylinder 37,preferably at a point above the horizontal plane in which the axis ofrotation of said cylinder is located, whereby extrerne visibility of thewriting is obtained.

The paper being typewritten is arranged to be received about the platenand to be held thereagainst by paper guides 38 of suitable construction,to cause contact between the paper and the cylinder upon the upwardlyand rearwardlyextending sector 39 of said cylinder,.along which thewriting takes place to present the writing upwardly and forwardly forready view by the operator.

The platen is arranged to be raised and lowered by suitable mechanismand to travel crosswise of the type in any ordinary manner.

The raising and lowering means is exemplified as comprising bell-cranklevers 41, 42, pivoted to the main frame at the rear of the latter,shifting levers 4:3, 14:, pivoted to the front part of the main frame,and links 45, 46, articulated to said respective levers by reararticulations a? and front articulations 48, the links passing thearc-suport for the type-levers at the sides of the atter,

Key-levers are provided for operating the type-bars, the key-leversbeing exemplified as wholly in advance of the type-bars. Thesekey-levers are preferably arranged in a plurality of banks, exemplifiedas four banks 51, 52, 53, 54, of keys. Thekey-board may represent astandard key-board. The key-levers of the respective banks are shown at56, 57, 58, 59. The key-levers are preferably arranged into aplurality'of series or sets, each series or set comprising a pluralityof key-levers having coincident axes.

I shall first describe the operative connections of the key-levers 58,59, (see Figs. 4 and 5), and shall then describe theoperating'connections of the key-levers 56, 57, (see Figs. 2 and 3),whose pivoting means are air difierentl'y located forwardly of thepivoting means of the key-levers 58, 59. If desired, the key-levers mayhave their pivotal axes coincident, or otherwise arranged within thescope ofthe appended claims.

The type-levers are pivoted adjacent to the bottom of the frame, and thekey-levers are preferably pivoted above the-pivots of the type-levers,for providing ease of operation and wide range of movement of thetypeends of the type-levers by simple mechanism.

The key-levers 58, 59, are shown of bellcrank form, respectively pivotedin their angles by ivot-bearings and 61 about a pivot-r0 62, suitablysupported in the frame of the machine. These pivot-bearings and thepivot-rod are shown located below the type-ends of the type-bars, and asextending within the concavity of the curved shanks of the type-barswhen in retracted positions.

The key-levers 58, 59, comprise key-arms 64,

65,- which extend forwardly, and on the forward ends of which the keys53, 54, are respectively located, the said key-levers also having arms66, 67, which extendv downwardly and with Whichlinks68, 69,"arerespectively articulated at 71, 72, the rear ends Figs. 4 and 5, it willbe noted that the powerarm of the key-lever 58 is longer than thepower-arm of the key-lever 59, the work-arm of the key lever 58 beingalso longer than the work-arm of the key-lever 59, in order to equalizethe power required to operate the res ective levers.

\eferring to Figs. 4 and 5, when the keys of the respective key-levers58, 59 are struck,

the said key-levers and links, and thetypebars connected therewith, movefrom the positions shown re pectively in Figs. 4 and15 in full lines, tothe positions shown in said figures in dotted lines, these movementsbeing accelerating movements during their progress, and the movementsbeing accomplished easily by striking pressure "of the.

fingers, for the reason that the articulations 73, 74, between thelinks'and the type-bars move through their arcs of movements with theleast resistance with relation to the power applied, thelatter part ofthese movements being aided by the gravity of the descending type-lever,the result being quick, sharp blows by the type upon the paper be;

ing printed, for producing well-defined impressions and capacity for amaximum number of carbon copies. a

The pivot-shaft or rod '62 for the key-levers 58, 59, is located in rearof the typeends of the type-bars and lower than said typesends, wherebycompactness is produced.

The key-levers56, 57, (see Figs. 2 and 3), may, if desired, have theirpivots upon the 'pivot-rod'62. I have, however, shown the same pivotedon a pivot-rod 81, suitably supported by the frame of the machine, and

located in close adjacency to the type-ends of the type-burs, andpreferably nearer the keys than the pivot-rod 62, so as to reduce thelengths of the power ends of said levers,

thereby aiding in equalizing the strokes upon the keys of all the banksof keys. Equalizing said strokes is also accomplished by varying thelengths of the rear arms of the key-levers 56, 57 I i The key-levers 56,57, preferably respechave articulations 86, 87,-with links 88, 89.

which in turn have articulations 90, 91, with the type-bars. Springs 92,93, between the arms-84, 85, and the frame, normally retract thekey-levers 56, 57 and the type-bars having operative connectiontherewith.

57, and arranging the key-levers in a nonmterferlng relation, I'preferto merge the respective arms thereof into upwardly extending arms 94,95, the upper ends of which have bearings 96, 97, about the pivot rod81.

The arrangement of these key-levers 56, 57, and their links andconnections with the type-bars, are, as in the case of the keylevers,58,59, such asto cause an accelerating movement of thetype-bars inmanner hereinbelore explained, aided by gravity, for efi'ectingsharpblows of thetype upon thepaper to produce well-defined impressions andcapacity for a number of clear carbon copies. 1 v

The keyearms of the key-levers may be received through suitable slots 98in a front plate or comb 99 in the frame. Placing the key-levers on aplurality of rods orshaftS enables wide pivot-bearings to be providedfor said levers, to prevent lateral movements of said levers and tomaintain said levers in their proper paths of movement. Thepivotbea-rings of the key-levers on each of said shafts are in theplanes of the key-levers on the other of said shafts.

My improved construction and arrangement of parts provide-s lowvisibility of the printing lines presented in an upward forwarddirection for ready vie-wing by the operator. The type-bars are providedw1th curved shanks for aiding in compactness of arrangement; thekey-levers and the opera.- tiveconnec'tions between the'same and'thetype-bars are located in front of the typebars and below the upper endsthereof, and

For aiding in the pivoting of said key-levers 56,

my improved construction enables short keylevers to be employed,producing com pactness of parts, quick blows of the typebars, andpermitting rapid operation of the machine.

My improved construction and arrangement further provides meanswhereby'a wide range of movement is imparted to the typeend of thetype-bar with a minimum movement of the key, due to the novel mountingof the key-lever and its connection with the type-bar. My improvedconstruction further enables the operating parts to be lo-' cated inclose relation 'to produce a typewriter which is light in weight, andsmall and compact, and is especially adapted as a so-called portabletypewriter.

It will be noted further that the pivot of the key-lever is adjacent tothe type-end of the type-bar, and that the reararm of' the key-lever,-the link and the type-bar have the general form of a triangle when inretracted position, this arrangement produc-' ing ease of operation; i

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a typewriting machine, a key lever pivoted approximately at thetop of the maa segmental pivot for the type bars near the bottom of themachine, said type bars extending upwardly to approximately the top ofthe machine, and links connecting the ends of the key levers with thetype bars.

3. In a typewriting machine, a key-lever having an inwardly and upwardlyextending portion, a vertical portion terminating in an eye, and adownwardly projecting portion connected to the base of the verticalportion, a type bar, and means for connecting the lower end of thedownwardly projecting portion of the key lever adjacent the bottom ofthe machine with the base of the type-bar, said type-bar beingpivotednear the bottom of the machine and extending upwardly to near itstop.

4. In a typewriting machine, a key-lever extending inwardly to a pivot,a pivot, a portion of the key lever extending inwardly and downwardlyfrom said pivot, a typebar pivoted near the base of the machine andhaving a plurality of types thereon, a link at the lower end of the lastmentioned por- 7 tion of the key lever directly connecting saidkey-lever to the type-bar, said type-bar extending to near the top ofthe machine, being adapted to move through an arc to engage with aplaten, a platen, and means to move said platen vertically.

5. In a typewriting machine, a bankv of key-levers each consisting f asubstantially horizontal portion and a siilostantially vertical portion,each of said levers being pivoted at the point of juncture of the twoportions, the last mentioned portion having its free end adjacentthebottom of the machine, a single link for each lever connecteddirectly thereto and to a type bar and lying in a substantiallyhorizontal position ad acent the bottom of the machine, and a bank oftypelevers having their lower ends pivoted on a segment adjacent thebottom of the machine.

6. In a itypewriting machine, a frame, a plurality of type-bars andangled key-levers arranged in banks, a portion of each key leverextending to the lower portion of the machine the type barsbeingwpivoted in a semi-circular supporting segment located adj aoen-tthe bottom of said frame, said typebars being at an angle to the bottomof the machineof about 45 when at rest, the lower ends of said keyleve'rs being approximately at the same elevation as the pivoted ends ofthe type bars. r

7. In a typ'ewriting machine, a frame, a plurality of type bars having aplurality of types thereon and angled key-levers 'arranged in banks, aportion of each key lever extending to the lower portion of the machineand being connected to a type-bar, said type bars being pivoted in asemi-circular supporting member also located adjacent the bottom of saidframe, said type-bars beingat an angle to the bottom of the machine ofabout 45 when .at rest, the lower ends of said key-levers beingapproximately at the same elevation as the pivoted ends of the typebars, a platen, means for elevating vertically said platen adapted topass beneath said semi-circular supporting means and between it and theframe of the machine to a point adjacent the banks of keys.

8. In combination in a typewriting machine, a frame, a plurality ofkey-levers each of which consists of inwardly and downwardly extendingportions pivoted at the junction of the two portions, rearwardlyextending links connected to each of said lower ends of the downwardlyextending portions of the key-levers and also connected to theirrespective type-bars, a semi-circular means located adjacent the bottomof said frame and a plurality of type-bars piva respective type-bars,asemi-circular means bars on the segmental member.

and a-plurality of type-bars pivoted therein having their free endsadapted to move through an arc and a platen for engaging the flee endsof said type-bar, said frame being so arranged that it protects andextends above the free ends of the type bars in their position of rest.

10. In combination in a typewriting machine, a frame, a plurality ofkey-levers each of which consists of inwardly and downwardly extendingportions pivoted at the junction of the two portions, rearwardly extending links connected to each of said lower ends of the downwardlyextending portions of the key-levers and also connected to their locatedadjacent the bottom of said frame and a plurality of type-bars pivotedtherein having their free ends adapted to move through an arc and aplaten for engagingthe free ends of said type-bar, and means extendingfrom a point adjacent the outer ends of the key-levers to said platenfor controlling its elevation.

11. In a typewriting machine, a combination of a frame, a plurality ofkeys in a series of banks, each key having a lever extending inwardly toa pivot and another portion of the lever extending downwardly therefromtowards and adjacent to the bottom of the frame, a link connected toeach key-bar extending rearwardly approximately in the horizontal at anangle to its type-bar to which it is connected, and a plurality oftype-bars having their lower ends pivoted in a semi-circular supportingmember adjacent the bottom of the machine and a platen cooperating withthe type levers.

12. In combination in a typewriting ma chine of a frame, means tosupport a plurality of key-levers arranged in banks, each of said leversextending substantially inwardly and downwardly, type bars pivoted on asegmental member, the lower' ends of some of said levers being locatedbelow the pivotal point of connection of the type-bars, and linksconnected to each key-bar at one end and at the other end to a pointabove the pivotal point of connection of the type- 13. In combination ina typewriting machine of a frame, means to support a plus rality ofkey-levers arranged in banks, each of said levers extendingsubstantially inwardly and downwardly, type bars pivoted on a segmentalmember, the lower ends of some of said levers being located below thepivotal point of connection of the type-bars, and links connected toeach key-bar at one end and at theother end to a point above the pivotalpoint of connection of a type-bar on the segmental member, aplaten, andmeans extending from a point adj acent'the keys to the platen forvarying its elevation.

14:. In a typewriting machine, a frame,-

key levers therein, means at the top of the frame to suspend the keylevers pivotally,

type bars, means adjacent the bottom of the machine to directly connectthe inner ends of type-bars and key-levers, said connecting means beingat an angle to the type-bars and key-levers when at rest, and segmentalmeans to pivotally support the type-bars adjacent the bottom. of themachine while the free ends thereof when at rest are located adjacentthe key-bar suspending means.

. 15. In a typewriting machine, a frame, key levers therein, means'atthe top of the frame to suspend the key levers pivotally, type bars,means adjacent the bottom of the machine to directly ,connect the innerends of substantially the same distance from the central type-barpivots-as the key-bar pivots are removed from the central type-barpivots.

-16. In a typewriting machine, a frame, a pair of spaced transverseshafts near the top and the front of the machine, a plurality .ofkey-levers suspended therefrom,

one series of said key-levers extending inwardly'and downwardly havingvertical portions supporting them pivotally on one of the shafts, theother series of key-levers consisting of inwardly and downwardlydirected portions and pivotedon their shafts at the point of junction ofthe two portions.

17. In a typewriting machine, a frame, a pair of spaced transverseshafts near the top and the front of the machine, a plurality of 1key-levers suspended therefrom, one series of said key-levers extendinginwardly and downwardly having vertical portions supporting thempivotally on one of the shafts, the other series of key-leversconsisting of an inwardly and downwardly directed portion and pivoted ontheir shafts at the point of junction of the two portions, asemicircular type-bar supporting element located at an angle to thevertical and-inclined rearwardly and having pivotally mounted thereon aplurality of type-bars,

the pivotal points thereof being adjacent the bottom of the frame, saidtype-bars when at rest being inclined towards the forward portion of themachine at an angle to the vertical with the free ends thereof adja centto the suspendingshafts for the key- 'levers, a plurality of linksrespectively connecting the lowerends of the key-levers to thetype-bars, the point of connection of said links to the type bars beingabove the pivotal point of connection of the type-bars onthesemi-circular supporting member, and

a platen on the rear of the frame so arranged that the type face of'thetype-bars engage with the platen above its axis.

18. In a typewriting machine, a frame, a

I pair of spaced transverse shafts near the top and the front of themachine, a plurality of key-levers suspended therefrom, one series ofsaid key-levers extending inwardly and downwardly having verticalportions supporting them 'pivotally on one of the shafts, the otherseries of key-levers consisting of an inwardly and downwardly directedortion being pivoted on their shafts at the point of junction of the twoportions, a

ing shafts for the key-levers, a plurality of links respectivelyconnecting the lower ends of the key-levers to the type-bars, the pointof connection of said links to the type-bars being above the pivotalpoint of connection of the type-bars on the"semi-circular supportingmember, a platen on the rear of the frame so arranged that the'type-endsof the type-bars engage with' the platen aboveiits axis, means extendingfrom the front of the machine to theplatenfor changing theelevation'ofithe platen and means on the ends 'of the type-bars vformounting different type above the other for engagement with the platen.depending upon the height thereof.

19. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a curved type-bar and akey-lever having a pivot-bearing extending intothc concavity of saidcurved type-bar when said type-bar is in retracted position.

20. In a typewriting machine, the combination of pivoted type-barshaving rocking type-ends, and a pluralityof key-levers arranged into aplurality of banks having spaced-apart pivots, the type-ends of saidtype-bars normally located in the space between said last-named pivots.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name in the presence oftwo subscribing Witnesses.

CHARLES U. CARPENTER.

In presence of J. A. DAnswnLL, FLOYD A, Woons.

